AS15981-Katana:　Mumei(Den Chogi)

Katana in Shirasaya with Koshirae(46th NBTHK Juyo Paper)
Signature:　Mumei attributed as Den Chogi (Den Nagayoshi)

Sayagaki:Bizen-koku Osafune Chogi designated as Juyo sword at the 61st Shinsa.
Osuriage-Mumei, the blade is wide and thin, has the powerful and healthy Hada with thick Jinie attached. The Hamon is slightly pointed Notare. The O-Kissaki is sturdy looking.
It looks like Kanemitsu but the blade has vivid Nie apparent and the Hamon has Mimigata partially, which are Chogi’s typical characteristics. In addition to that, the Hamon is similar to the Midare which common in his Tanto.
The blade length is 2 Shaku 3 Sun 1 Bu (equivalent to 69.993 cm).
Witten by Tanobe.

(We divide 4 sections for each sword as Saijyo saku, Jyojyo saku Jyo saku and regular saku)
This sword belongs to Saijyo saki (the top ranking) ranking.
The blade was polished by high ranking polisher.

Habaki :　Gold failed double habaki.
Blade length :　70.3　cm or 27.67 inches.
Sori: 2.58 cm or 1.01 inches.
Mekugi: 　1
Width at the hamachi: 2.9 cm or 1.14 inches.
Width at the Kissaki: 2.865 cm or 1.12 inches.
Kasane : 0.77cm or 0.30 inches.
The weight of the sword: 258 grams.
Era: Nanbokucho　perod. 1362.
Shape : The blade is rather wide and thick
with deep sori and long Kissaki.
Jigane: Koitame hada very well grained with jinie attach and chikei work and also light utsuri appear.
Hamon: Nideki and nioi deki mixed with gunome Midare small Choji, small Notare active temper line and Sunagashi, Kinsuji and also Yo work.
Bo-shi is Midarekomi style and turns back.

Special feature: Cho-gi(Nagayoshi) is well known as Soden Bizen Nanbokucyo period along with Kanemitsu high ranking sword makers.
Generally Cho-gi is much higher than Kanemitsu.
His sword divided 2 ways one is nioideki style
and another one is Niedeki style active temper line.

Koshirae:
Tsuba: Iron Tsuba, autumn leaves and running water are engraved with gold color.
Fuchikashira: Shakudo Nanako, Noshi design is engraved with gold color.
Saya: Reddish color Saya.
Menuki: Shakudo, long-tailed chicken is engraved with gold color.
Kozuka: Shakudo Nanako, Noshi design is engraved with gold color.
Kogatana: bamboo.

From Aoi Art : In Bizen sword makers, there are only a few Sosyu Den sword smith,
and top of them is Cho-gi. Especially Jigane is quite well grained like high ranking Bizen style and appear light Utsuri. The Hamon is Konie deki, Nioi deki mixed.
This sword has wide Shinogi ji also Itame and Mokume Hada and Asanagare.
The Kissaki is very long,and big, it is gorgeous blade.　Unfortunately, there is a Umegane near the Yokote line, But the jigane and Hamon both are nice quality and obtained Jyuyo Token.
The first ranking Sosyu-den and Bizen got Jyuyo token already.
The top-ranking Saijyo saku Chogi is quite rare and we recommend this sword
as your family’s treasure. We recommend this gorgeous sword for you.

46th NBTHK Juyo Paper.
Aoi Art estimation paper
whole Oshigata.